Animal-trap.



C. B. TRUMBLE.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.29,1907.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Invader. /5/ M UNiTED srnrns PATENT ormoni.

QHNEY B. TRUMBLFWOF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSGNOR TO YONEIDA.COMM'UNYIQLIMITED, OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, lA CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

`l Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.' 1, 190s.

Application filed April 29, 1907. Serial No. 370,904.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be 1t known that-I, 'CHAUNCEY B. THUM- BLn, of Syracuse, in the countyof Onondaga,

.in the State of New Yorlghave invented new and useful Improvements inAnimaL Traps, of which the following, taken in cony nection with theaccompanying drawings, is

a full, clear, and exact description.v

This invention relates to certain improvements in animal traps 'of thespring-actuatedjaw-type in which two opposed aw-supporting frames areEpivoted upon a suitable base, one of which jaws is spring-actuated andhas sliding inter] ockingconnection with the other jaw to actuate thelatter when the springactuated jaw is released, so that both jaws closesimultaneously, the spring-actuated jaw y being held in its openposition by a suitable position positively transmits a similar move-yment to the other'jaw. 4 j

Another object is to provide the jaw frames with co-acting membersadapted to interlock to prevent the jaws from heilig in'its open andclosed positions.

pried open by the animal while caught in the trap. v In the dra-wingsFigures 1 and 2 are perspective views respectively showing the trap Fig.3 is an end View of the closed trap., Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional viewstaken respectively on lines 4 4, Fig. 1, and 5 5,'Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is atop plan of a portion of one of the jaws.

In carrying out the objects stated I provide a. suitable base 1 which inthis instance, is rectangular in form, and provided at its corners withopposite pairs of upturned ears Q and 3 in which are "mounted spindles l4 and, 5' for supportinor opposite awefraines 6- and 7 Thetbase 1 andjaw-frames 6 and 7 are preferably made of sheet metal, thek base 1 lconsisting tof an open rectangular sheet metal trarne havino an integralarm t3-projecting lnwardly lron'i one side and supporting a spring 9act- 'ing upon a lever or detent 10- to force lthe'latter automaticallyinto interlocking en gagement with a shoulder 11 on the jaw 6 to holdthe jaws in their open' position, as best seen in Fig. 4, said lever orltrigger 10 being provided with a suitable bait-receiving element, as aplatform 12 The jaw-frames 6 and 7- are preferably U-shape, being inthis instance, made from two. bars of sheet metal'7 the opposite ends ofthe ba'rs" 6 being pivoted to the ears Q by the pintle or rod 4 4while,the opposite ends of the bar 7 are pivoted to the ears 3 at the oppositeside of the frame 1 by the pintle or spindle 5 The intermediate portionsof both of these jaw-fra1nes G and 7 are disposed some distance from andparallel with their respective swinging aXes, and constitute grippingjaws, as 13 and .14 having biting teeth- 15`-, 'which interlock or meshwith each other when the jaws are closed, so as to bring the meetingedges 'of said vjaws into close contact. These jaw-frames fiand 7 moveone within the other; that is, when open, they converge upwardly fromtheir respective axes, the jaw-iframe 7 passing through the jaw-frame Gwithin the jaw 13 and between the opposite arms which unite said jaw tothe base 1 The jaw-frame 7 is provided at 'each end with inner and outerlugs or shoulders 16 and 17 projecting endwise there from and havingsliding engagement with the inner and outer edges of the sides of thejaw frame 6 thereby establishing a' sliding interlocking connectionbetween the two j aw-rames, so that when vone jaw is open, orclosed`,.similar motion is imparted by it to the other jaw. In thisparticular device shown in the drawings the aw-ram'e 7 is lactuated toclose the jaws by a pair of coil springs 18 each encircling the spindle5' between the trigger or lever 10 said rame lvthe distance betweenthelopposite arms.

when in their open position. The platform?.

axis of the jaw-frame -7wand the Space l' between each pair of lugsbeing substantially l equal to the distance'between the axes of theoppositejjaw-frame so as to allow said frame to lie as iat as possible,or close to the base tion of the spring e-lS until theshoulder -11- onthe central vportion of the said jaw encounters ,and depresses thetrigger -l0a against* theaction of the spring -9 sufficient tti allowthe shoulder llto ride under a similar shoulder -2l-. on the triggerhl0--, whereupon said trigger is operated by the spring --9` to forcethe shoulderl 2linto holding engagement with the shoulder -llof the jaw--,it being understood that the jaw-frame -6- drops automatically toitsA open position, or is forced into such position by the'shoulders-l7-, as the jaw -T-is opened, and when the jaw -G- is locked in themanner just described, by the trigger -1()-, it, in turn, locks the jawframe -.'-7 in its open position by reason o'fthe engagement of theshoulder `16- with the under sidesof Ithe opposite arms of the now'locked jaw-frame -6-, said shouldersv '-16 engagingthe vunder sides ofthe opposite arms of the jawframe -6-f near the swinging axis of thelatter, where butlittle power is required to hold the jaw-frame *7- openagainst the action of the spring 1 8-. When the plat# form trigger '*10*is depressed or tripped by the animal to release the jaw -6- thejaw-frame ,7-,- is immediately thrown to its closed position by thespring I8-, and the paw -`6 is similarly thrown to its closed positionby the sliding action of the shoulder -l6 upon the under side of itsThe'distance between the l shoulders -l6-` and 17 of each pair is;

slightly greater than the portions of the side arms of the j aw-frame-twhich they embrace so as to ermit free sliding movement of the sides0"' the frame 6+between' said shoulders.` g

In order to prevent the jaws from being pried open by the animal whencaughttherein, I provide one vof the side arms of'the jaw-frame -.6--Vwith a shoulder 24- on the under side thereof and a short distance from'the jaw 13` and in the path of moveinent of one of the lugs or shoulders-l-G- so that any attempt to open or pry the jaws a art when once closedu on the animal is v positively resisted by engagement of the shoulder-16h with the shoulder ,-24-,-

although in setting the trap, sufficient clearance is leftbetween-theishoulders -16- and l-to permit the jaw-frame 47- to be"Ielevated enough to clear the shoulder Q4- Vhat I claim is:

l. An animal trap including twol pivoted jaw-frames, a'spring foractuating one of the frames in one direction and slidingvinterloclringconnections between said ,frames ,whereby motion is transmitted-A fromone frame to the other, and'shoulders carried by the jaws to prevent thejaws from being pried open by the animal when caught thereby.

` 2.-In an animal trap in combination, a supporting base, jaw-framespivoted to the basev and having sliding interlocking connectvion onewith the other, and means to prevent the jaws from being pried open bythe animal when caught thereby.' y

3. 'An animal ltrap comprising two vpivoted jaws, one 'aw beingspring-actuated and having sliding interlocking connection withthe'othe'r jaw, and a spring-actuated platform detent for one jaw, andshoulders carried by the jaws to lprevent the jawsv from being priedopen by the animal whencaught thereby.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th "day of April1907.

CHAUNCEY B. TRUMBLE. Vitnesses H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. N OTT.

